Western media not fair when reporting on South Lebanon

SOUTH LEBANON As part of events to coincide with the day of solidarity with south Lebanon and the western Bekaa, the Ministry of Information on Friday took foreign journalists to areas on the front-lines to highlight the conflict there. More on that tour and Lebanon's coverage in the international media in this report.

Report: "Israeli" troops have been occupying areas in south Lebanon since 1978. And over the past 21 years, villagers living on the front-lines have had to face daily hardships and constant shelling. The Ministry of Information took international journalists on a tour of these villages. The purpose, organizers say, is to allow these reporters and photographers to experience first hand the situation on the ground. Lebanon's Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri said that (dubbing): "We all know that the killing of "Israeli" soldiers who are occupying our land makes headlines in the western media. But the death of Lebanese men, women and children in "Israeli" attacks is never covered. There is a clear and obvious bias". International and Arab journalists agree that the world only understands the story from the other side of the border. Stefano de Paolis, Italian news agency said that: the "Israelis" make more noise story coming from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Dr. Mohammed Saed Idriss, Khaleej newspaper said "there is no good coverage for all that is happening here in south Lebanon". United Nations peacekeepers who have been here since 1978 escorted the journalists to villages that lie underneath "Israeli" manned positions. The blue berets have over the years tried to provide southerners with protection but there is only so much they can do. This is a mass grave in the village of Qana. It was here where over 100 Lebanese men, women and children were killed. They were taking shelter in a UN base when "Israeli" gunners pounded it in April 1996".

"Timor Goksel, spokesman of UN peacekeepers in south, said that: "those based in Lebanon cover it quite well. They know what the story is they can ask. But the dangerous coverage about south Lebanon is by so called experts who don't know much about Lebanon and then make comments that is dangerous. They have preconceptions about what the story is. Lebanon has long argued that the world tends to forget that "Israel" is the occupier and attacks against its troops are legitimized under a cease-fire accord. The tour comes amid efforts by authorities to launch an international media campaign against "Israel". But organizers admit that will not be easy. In the interim, villagers were out in force hoping that their voices would reach the world. There is widespread belief in Lebanon that the international media does not cover properly the south Lebanon conflict. It is either ignored or reports tend to be biased toward "Israel". And that is why the Ministry of Information organized this tour hoping to raise awareness among international journalists about the conflict here, the suffering of southerners and "Israel's" 21 year old occupation of Lebanese territories".